March 15

Watching the dog across the yard has taken on new meaning, now that we arent supposed to leave our homes.

Im sorry this is such a terrible image. Im a very self-conscious person, so when I cant do something perfectly, I do it terribly instead. The white area is the dog. The yellow shapes are a long window and a glass door that leads out into the second story porch. The black shapes are the porch, the stairs that lead up to the third story fire escape, and the woman of the house, who is sitting on the steps with a hot drink in her hand. (I cant see the drink, but since she always has one, Im assuming she has one now). Ive been watching her for months, since I moved my desk from the front of my apartment to the back. But now that she and her neighbors are the people I see most everyday, beside my boyfriend and myself in the mirror, I feel especially invested in them. Park Slope looks as picturesque as a stage set: a quality thats easy to miss in real life, when youre being shoved and yelled at in the food coop.

Ive named the dog Walt, for now at least. Im not very good with names. I feel like things are embodied completely by their physical forms this deep, patently false belief is one of the many problematic things about us cartoonists and a name just adds another, confusing, wholly unnecessary dimension. Names work best in fiction, when there are no images. The names are the images. That said, Ive named the womanWalts ownerJasmine. I think shes a Pilates instructor or something. Shes very fit, and also very wholesome. Maybe forty-five. Drinks a lot of tea(?). (Or maybe, I like to think, whiskey.) She has a son, maybe twelve, whom Ive named Elias. Ive never seen the man who must be her partner, except as a fleeting shape behind the window.

Next door is Sonia, my favorite. Shes oldermaybe seventy-two. She sits huddled up on the porch all winter smoking cigarettes and talking on the phone. Sometimes, when its nice out, she reads a book. She, too, possesses a vague man who looms behind windows.

Downstairs is Beth, a vest enthusiast with a new puppy, Whiskers. Once Beth had companya blondish woman Ill call Nance. I hope theyre a couple, but Im not sure.

The gray squirrels are Douglas and Phyllistwo lovely, soft, blue-gray names. (Vladimir Nabokov believed blue-lavender-gray was the color of eternity, and I agree). The black squirrel is Rockfeller. The woodpecker is Simon. The orange cat is Frisco. The Grackles (why do I capitalize that?) are Larkin and Fly-By-Night.

Of all these names, Sonia is the only one Im really content with. Ive watched her the longest. Shes the only one who spent any time outside during the winter.

Im procrastinating working on my comican adaptation of the Book of Genesis with a childlike, female God, which I think Ill call Let There Be Light. My understanding of how my own work is going consists mostly of strong but hard-to-read feelings. The deadening boredom Ive felt since I got to Abraham must mean somethingthat Im off course. But Im not sure how, and Im not sure how to figure out how. And Im not sure whether to ignore the feelings for now and push ahead with this draft of the book, or listen to them, stop working, and consider. One relevant piece of information is that God has a much smaller part in The Torah after the arrival of Abraham. Shes the catalyst that sends him on his journey, but hes the hero (and the patriarch).

Im not interested in him. I dont understand him. A good man, savvy about real estate, very aware of the needs of strangers, but rather dense when it comes to empathizing with his wife, Sarah. He reminds me of most of the men in my family, who really have no place in my art (art is not life).

God, on the other hand. I love her. I cant let these epic heroes steal her show. Anyway, nothing is happening in the comics department. Im shading in blacks and grays on pages Ill probably end up scrapping in a month, and procrastinating by writing this journal.

March 16

My boyfriend, Bartholomew (who, to protect his privacy, is pseudonymous, and also possibly imaginary), is isolating with me at my place. All my complicated ritualsfood, caf, weekly museum, weekly day trip to Long Island, friendshave flown out the window (the metaphorical window, not the rear window), replaced by a vague, somehow calm sensation of falling down a well. For now, things are very quiet. Bartholomew and I cook our meals. We wipe the doorknobs of our apartment. We avoid people. We wash our hands. We feel guilty and worried about our parents and my grandma, whom we are not visiting. The crisis lurks around the corner. Its a bit of a relief to let the rituals goto have been forced to. My rituals were mostly about feeling freewandering around, looking at things, touching all the places at once without being touched myself. Watching people without being seen by them. An impossible thing to pull off.

I often wonder why ghosts are portrayed, in ghost stories, as sad. If ghosts existed (they dont), I think Id very much enjoy being one.

8 AM. Jasmine is in the yard downstairsBeths yard(?)throwing the ball for Walt, who stands on two legs in glee. Jasmine is holding a steaming mug again. Other people are endlessly entertaining, as long as they dont see, touch, or expect a single thing from me.

11 AM. First I saw a woodpecker. Then Jasmines man came out(!). Baseball hat, cigarette. Surprising in Park Slope.

March 17

8:30 AM. Sonia is behind her glass porch door drinking somethinga hot toddy?

The magnolia out my window will burst into flower in a couple of days.

The governor and the mayor seem to hate each other.

I believe Sonia has two floors, which she shares with the shadowy bald man. There are now a number of people in her apartment: two, three generations? Do they always live there? Or is this some kind of a group quarantine? The younger ones cook and bake, while Sonia helps out and does laundry upstairs. Sonias been smoking much less than usualeither, Ive decided, for fear of getting sick, or because her family doesnt like when she smokes.

Jasmine and her man, on the other hand, both seem to have taken up smoking with gusto. These are unprecedented times.

A note on capitalism: Ive always considered myself to be a person who doesnt particularly hate capitalism. Being paid for my art has meant being accepted by society, which is not something I take for granted. But now that society seems to be crumbling, theres less pressure.There is less of a stigma attached to not making moneyto not having work. So while I still want those things, I only want them insomuch as they will allow me to pay rent and buy food. Theyre no longer symbols of success. Without the implication that busyness equals success, Im happy to have slowed down. Im just sitting at my desk, drawing, and writing this journal sometimes.

I also like not rushing around buying things, and not being pushed and trampled by other people who are rushing around buying things. There is a lot to think about there, and lots of time to think.

1 PM. Phyllis and Douglasboth squirrelshave sex, or foreplay, or a fight.

2 PM. Jasmine is wiping down her doorknobs.

2:09 PM. Jasmine is smoking on the porch. She looks so sad.

5 PM. Went for a run with Bartholomew in a very crowded park. Swerved and dodged to try to keep the recommended six-foot distance from others, but it wasnt easy, especially as a twosome. Social distancing has been nice for me, in a way. In general, I cant stand having my personal space invaded, especially by a stranger, and am always trying to manage things so people dont touch or lunge at me on the sidewalksa losing battle. But now, Im keeping my distance for the common good. Everyone is doing it. Except the people who arent, who are irresponsible assholes.

We saw three Irishmen playing music on their stoop for Saint Patricks Day. I teared up. The world as we know it seems to have ended.

6 PM. Lonely.

March 18

Sonia ate a banana. The normal way.

March 19

One of the magnolia buds is just, just, just about to bloom.

Ive decided to name Jasmines man Peter.

Sonias man, the bald one, is more of a Calshort for Calvin. A nice, bald name.

Last night I panicked because the fairy doll I keep on my counter had lost her baby. I bought the fairy from little girls on the street a few months ago. Shy girls, and good artists. We found the baby (who is made of yarn and a wooden bead) under the counter, untouched, and reunited them. I named the fairy Nectar, and Bartholomew named her baby Seedling.

Im starting to understand why things are named. Its a way of making friends with someone you shouldnt be friends with, because that person is unknown, or imaginary, or an object.

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Rear Window - The New York Review of Books

Judy Armbruster of Grosse Pointe Woods, right, talks to her mother Mary Lou Wholihan by the windows outside of Sunrise Senior Living in Grosse Pointe Woods, Friday, March 27, 2020. (Photo: Junfu Han, Detroit Free Press)

Every day around dinner time, Judy Armbruster goes to see her 88-year-old mother at the assisted living community she lives in.

Before the coronavirus pandemic, Armbruster sat with hermother while she ate dinner at Sunrise of Grosse Pointe Woods.

Since COVID-19, Armbruster, 53,who lives in Grosse Pointe Woods within walking distance of the facility,stands outside the building at her mothers first-floor window and talks with her on the phone as her mother sits on her bed.

On a recent visit, she saw an aide, wearing a mask and gloves, take her mother's temperature and write it down.

Its kinda cool," Armbruster said of her daily visits. "Its a version of FaceTime. I get to see her. Make sure she looks OK. She gets to see me, which is a bonus for her, too. It does provide some peace of mind.

But it doesnt replace the direct contact that she and so many others had with their loved ones who reside in nursing homes, assisted living and other senior care facilities before the deadly virus hit.

These types of facilities house the most vulnerable those who may be ill, recuperating or elderly.

But their doors were shuttered to visitors in mid-March after the first known cases of the virus were reported in Michigan on March 10, specifically, in Wayne and Oakland counties.

The move was devastating to families, but necessary in an effort to protect their loved ones.

More: Death toll rises as COVID-19 sweeps through Michigan nursing homes

By Friday, there were more than 22,700 positive cases and more than 1,200 deaths from the virus in Michigan, according to state figures.Hundreds of those cases and dozens of the deaths have been in nursing homes.

Armbruster said the decision to close off visitorswas a striking blow. We cant go see her at all or take her to get her hair done or to the doctors, which seems trivial now. I understand they have to be very careful with that population.

She said her mother, who has a compromised memory, isnt tech-savvy, so the offerings of Skype and FaceTime with relatives werent as good as simply talking with her mother on the phone.

Armbruster said she would rather free up time for staff to help other residents use the devices to communicate with their loved ones since she's able to see her mother every day.

Armbruster said she isn't the only person who has stopped by to see a loved one at Sunrise of Grosse Pointe Woods.One woman, whose father was on the second floor, had a sign saying she missed and loved him. The man was deaf, Armbruster said, so the daughter brought the sign to convey themessage to him.

Facilities across Michigan say they are doing their best to obtain technology for their residents so they can see and communicate with their loved ones who can't visit.

Michael Perry, CEO of NexCare Health Systems, which has 26 facilities (eight of which are branded The WellBridge Group) said a lot of residents already have phones, and facilities have iPads and computers residents can use.

They also are trying activities, such as hallway bingo, where residents stay in their doorways and play. They're playing music and using whiteboards for residents to write messages to relatives and posting photos on social media.

Judy Armbruster of Grosse Pointe Woods shows the mail that she brought as she talks to her mother Mary Lou Wholihan over the phone outside of Sunrise Senior Living in Grosse Pointe Woods, Friday, March 27, 2020.(Photo: Junfu Han, Detroit Free Press)

"Staff is keenly aware and the facilities are keenly aware residents aren't able to see their families," said Melissa Samuel, president/CEO of the Health Care Association of Michigan. "They're doing everything they can."

More: Families worry as they are cut off from loved ones at Michigan nursing homes

But its difficult for residents, who are isolated in their rooms, now for weeks on end.

There is no communal dining anymore. Allmeals are brought to residents in their rooms. Therapy and activities, such as crafts, also are done in the rooms versus in a larger group setting and may be limited.

All of this is also challenging to staff, who are dealing with protocols that are ever-changing as the pandemic continues.

Relatives have been visiting their loved ones through windows,celebrating birthdays and anniversaries or just saying hello. Even alpacas reportedly made a visit recently to the exterior of a Riverview nursing home to cheer up residents.

Manda Ayoub, chief operating officer for Pomeroy Living, said the residents are doing the best they can.

Its important for family to come and sit outside windows and talk with them. What I need is engagement for my residents. Get outside the window, have a call, let them see your face, she said, encouraging folks to use FaceTime and Skype if they can.

Theyre isolated. Its hard," she said. "These seniors are already going through so much."

Contact Christina Hall: chall@freepress.com. Follow her on Twitter: @challreporter.

Read or Share this story: https://www.freep.com/story/news/local/michigan/2020/04/12/coronavirus-covid-19-michigan-nursing-homes/5120204002/

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Families use FaceTime, other technology to stay connected to loved ones in nursing homes - Detroit Free Press

Homes are selling during the coronavirus crisis, despite heightened unemployment, widespread business losses, a whipsawed stock market and stay-at-home orders.

The number of Portland metro residential properties that traded hands in March -- 2,356 -- was 7.9% more than March 2019 and a 24.2% jump from the 1,897 closings recorded in February 2020, according to the local listing service RMLS.

CORONAVIRUS IN OREGON: THE LATEST NEWS

In the last three weeks, precautions to reduce the spread of the deadly virus have altered almost every aspect of a real estate deal, from seeing a property to signing the deed. (Read details).

Not only are real estate agents showcasing properties through 3D imagery and video tours instead of widely marketed open houses, they have also shifted focus on the homes benefits that they promote.

Hunker down here," states Bonnie Roseman of Living Room Realty about her listing at 8064 S.E. 19th Ave., in Southeast Portlands Sellwood-Moreland neighborhood, which is priced at $749,900. Room for your whole brood. Be close and have privacy."

She also underscores that there is a guest room and a self-contained smaller home, an accessory dwelling unit, or ADU.

She added that the house "will be sanitized for you at closing.

Roseman received an accepted offer three days after she listed a 2013 Craftsman-style house at $599,900 on April 3: 113 N.E. Fargo St. in Northeast Portlands Eliot neighborhood has three bedrooms, 2.5 bathrooms and 2,042 square feet of living space including a bonus space and a private patio on a 2,178-square-foot lot.

On Friday, her listing, a 1971 ranch-style house on a third acre at 12004 S.E. Henderson Dr., near the Leach Botanical Garden, was put on the market, priced at $379,000. Its an urban retreat with a small home but theres value in having woody space around you, she says.

A sale of hers that fell through due to the economic impact of the coronavirus pandemic is back on market: The 1929 English-style house at 1334 N.E. 51st Ave. is listed $549,000.

Here are Portland-area homes that sold during the coronavirus:

8443 N Hartman St. in North Portlands St. Johns neighborhood sold for $511,000 on March 30 by Cody Gibson with David Girard of Keller Williams-PDX Central.Keller Williams-PDX Central

8443 N. Hartman St. in North Portlands St. Johns neighborhood sold for $511,000 on March 30. The house, built in 1955 on a 4,791-square-foot lot, has three bedrooms, 2.5 bathrooms and 1,346 square feet of living space.

Convert 12x20 structure to office, playhouse, ADU (accessory dwelling unit)," says listing agent Cody Gibson with David Girard of Keller Williams-PDX Central.

7523 SE 120th Place in Southeast Portlands Pleasant Valley sold for $515,000 on March 12 by Scott Shannon of Premiere Property Group, LLC.Premiere Property Group

7523 S.E. 120th Place in Southeast Portlands Pleasant Valley sold for $515,000 on March 12. The two-story contemporary house, built in 2005 on a 7,405-square-foot lot, has hardwood floors, four bedrooms, three bathrooms and 2,996 square feet of living space, including a second family room.

The fourth bedroom and full bathroom are on the main level, says listing agent Scott Shannon of Premiere Property Group, LLC.

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3934 NE 78th Ave. in Northeast Portlands Roseway neighborhood sold for $523,000 on March 26 by listing agent Janet Fisher-Welsh of Coldwell Banker Bain.Coldwell Banker Bain

3934 N.E. 78th Ave. in Northeast Portlands Roseway neighborhood sold for $523,000 on March 26. The English-inspired house, built in 1928 on a 4,791-square-foot lot, has original woodwork and hardware, built-in cabinets, hardwood floors, three bedrooms, one bathroom and 2,230 square feet of living space, including a bonus room with a vaulted ceiling.

Remodeled kitchen features ample cupboard space, granite counters, ceramic tile and stainless-steel appliances. There are many other upgrades in the last 10 years, says listing agent Janet Fisher-Welsh of Coldwell Banker Bain.

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11239 SW Capitol Hwy. in Southwest Portlands Far Southwest sold for $510,000 by Jennifer Bolen of Premiere Property Group, LLC.Premiere Property Group

11239 S.W. Capitol Hwy. in Portlands Far Southwest sold for $510,000 on March 11. The updated bungalow, built in 1955 on a 4,791-square-foot lot, has four bedrooms, two bathrooms and 2,019 square feet of living space, including a finished basement with a family room and bonus room/office.

"The private yard is the perfect canvas to create your personal oasis, says listing agent Jennifer Bolen of Premiere Property Group, LLC.

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1518 N Webster St. in North Portlands Overlook neighborhood sold for $509,500 on March 11 by listing agent Shelle Zimmer Angell Realty.Angell Realty

1518 N. Webster St. in North Portlands Overlook neighborhood sold for $509,500 on March 11. The two-story, remodeled house, built in 1915 on a 3,484-square-foot lot, has refinished hardwoods, four bedrooms, two bathrooms and 2,132 square feet of living space.

There is a full, unfinished basement plus a newly built studio and deck.

"Roof replaced in 2017, new windows, new paint inside and out, too many upgrades and updates to list, says listing agent Shelle Zimmer of Angell Realty.

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4667 NW Buckboard Dr. in Northwest Portlands Stoller Farms sold for $509,888 on March 31 by listing agent Bret Crawford of Residential Realty Northwest.Residential Realty Northwest

4667 N.W. Buckboard Dr. in Northwest Portlands Stoller Farms area in the Bethany neighborhood sold for $509,888 on March 31. The two-story contemporary house, built in 1997 on a 6,534-square-foot lot, has four bedrooms, 2.5 bathrooms and 2,114 square feet of living space.

There are vaulted ceilings in the foyer. The stunning remodeled kitchen has wraparound counters, granite and a gas stove. The family room with a gas fireplace looks out to a private backyard, says listing agent Bret Crawford of Residential Realty Northwest.

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9504 SW 54th Ave.in Southwest Portlands Ashcreek neighborhood sold for $500,000 on March 17, 2020 by listing agent Teri Toombs with Reg Martocci of Living Room Realty.Living Room Realty

9504 S.W. 54th Ave. in Southwest Portlands Ashcreek neighborhood sold for $500,000 on March 17. The contemporary house, built in 1978 on a 4,791-square-foot lot, has bamboo floors, skylights, a central kitchen, three bedrooms, 2.5 bathrooms and 1,724 square feet of living space, including a family room that opens to a deck.

"The updated, terraced landscaping sits among Douglas fir trees on a quiet cul-de-sac, says listing agent Teri Toombs with Reg Martocci of Living Room Realty.

3807 SW Corbett Ave. in South Portland sold for $519,000 on April 2 by Xan Gale of Urban Nest Realty.Urban Nest Realty

3807 S.W. Corbett Ave. in South Portland sold for $519,000 on April 2. The tri-level townhouse, built in 1990 on a 2,613-square-foot lot, has three bedrooms, 2.5 bathrooms and 1,998 square feet of living space.

This refreshed and move-in ready end unit row home boasts walls of windows, new carpet throughout and hardwoods on the main level, says listing agent Xan Gale of Urban Nest Realty.

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300 NW 8th Ave #807 in Northwest Portlands Pearl District sold for $549,900 on April 8 by listing agent Andrew Galler CRS of Realty Works Group.Realty Works Group

300 N.W. 8th Ave. #807 in Northwest Portlands Pearl District sold for $549,900 on April 8. The condo, built in 1909 on the southeast corner of the eight floor, has high ceilings, wood floors, one bedroom, one bathroom and 956 square feet of living space.

Stunning, unobstructed city, mountain and bridge views, window walls and wraparound balcony, says listing agent Andrew Galler CRS of Realty Works Group.

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--Janet Eastman | 503-294-4072

jeastman@oregonian.com | @janeteastman

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On the market: 10 Portland-area homes that sold during the coronavirus - OregonLive

Two-thirds of home sellers plan to spend less than $10,000 getting their homes ready to sell. But as you can see, there's a wide spectrum, and that's because of the extremely wide range when it comes to the costs of certain projects. For example, hiring a company to stage your home might cost you a couple thousand dollars. On the other hand, if you need to bring your electrical systems and plumbing up to code or deal with structural issues before you list your home, you could easily land in the "more than $30,000" spending category.

One key takeaway is that virtually all homeowners are planning to spend something. Fewer than 4% of sellers are planning to list their home without spending any money. To be fair, this could simply mean that they're doing more of the heavy lifting themselves without paying someone else to do it (say, a deep clean or some yard work and landscaping).

If you're curious about where all of this pre-listing spending is going, here are nine of the most common projects homeowners complete before putting their homes on the market, and the ballpark cost of each.

Fresh paint: A new coat of paint can certainly do wonders for the appeal of your home. The average cost of having the interior of your home professionally painted is $6,900, according to Fixr, but you can save money by either doing the work yourself or only having the most important areas of the home painted -- say, the living room, kitchen, and master bedroom.

Carpeting or flooring: If your carpet is visibly old or your hardwoods have seen better days, it could be a good idea to replace or refinish your flooring. Carpet installation costs an average of $980 to $1,680 per room. New hardwood floors cost about $4,000 per 2,000 square feet, and refinishing your existing hardwoods costs about one-fourth of that amount.

Landscaping: The cost of landscaping can vary dramatically depending on how much work you plan to do. Keep in mind that the exterior of your home is the first thing buyers will see, so don't ignore this part of the puzzle.

Staging: Professional home staging can cost anywhere from $1,500 for a smaller home to $10,000 for large luxury homes. The majority of real estate agents say that staging results in higher offer prices, so it's worth considering.

New front door: There are few repairs that give you more bang for the buck than replacing your front door, especially if your existing door is worn and unattractive. The average front door installation costs between $500 and $700.

Pressure washing: Similar to landscaping, pressure washing the exterior of your home can help make a great first impression. It typically costs just a few hundred dollars, or you can buy or rent a pressure washer and do it yourself.

Kitchen renovations: A dated kitchen can make it difficult to sell a home. While you don't necessarily need a full-scale renovation, you could install new cabinets (at an average cost of $6,412 to $11,400) or granite countertops ($3,000 to $3,500 for 30 square feet) or update your appliances (cost varies).

New roof: It can be very tough to sell a home with a roof that's visibly past its useful lifespan. A new roof can be expected to cost between $5,250 and $10,500, and it can be a very attractive feature for buyers.

Electrical and plumbing upgrades: Charming older homes can be very appealing to buyers, but older electrical systems and plumbing are not. If you have outdated electrical or plumbing in your home, it's a good idea to update it before selling. This can get expensive. For example, replacing all the electrical wiring in a home can cost upwards of $8,000 -- but it can be very tough to sell a home if its electrical system is from the 1940s.

As a final thought, I'd strongly suggest that whatever repairs, improvements, or other projects you do, keep it neutral. Even if it's not what you would personally enjoy, stick with beige or light gray paint, a neutral-colored carpet, fixtures that are nice but basic, and so on. The goal is to make your home appealing to as many buyers as possible, so plan your pre-listing projects accordingly.

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This Is How Much Homeowners Are Spending to Get Their Homes Market-Ready in 2020 - Motley Fool

PHILADELPHIA, April 9, 2020 DMi Partners, a Philadelphia-based full-service digital marketing and customer acquisition agency, announced today it has been named agency of record by Avalon Flooring. DMi Partners will execute a strategic campaign for Avalon Flooring that focuses on creative work including new digital and email advertisements for special promotional events and sales.

Avalon Flooring will look to DMi Partners to take responsibility of all creative and development needs. This will range from sale collateral, website updates and enhancements, display and social advertisements, print material and more. The Philadelphia digital marketing agency will also upgrade Avalon Floorings website, both on the front and back end, as well as making an array of improvements within the evolving brand.We were looking for an established, reputable partner with big agency talent and DMi was the perfect match, said Meaghan Karn, Director of Marketing at Avalon Flooring. Having previously worked with agencies in New York, we came to the understanding that talent and experience is enhanced by close collaboration and wanted to find a fit for our needs in the Delaware Valley to continue our trajectory of growth and success.

Founded in 1958 in Avalon, New Jersey, Avalon Flooring has become an industry leader in home wood flooring, area rugs, tiles, and window treatments. Now headquartered out of Cherry Hill, NJ, the 100% employee-owned company has 15 showrooms across Pennsylvania, New Jersey and Delaware.

We are excited to team up with Avalon Flooring and for the opportunity to engage cutting-edge digital marketing execution with such a respected local company, said Patrick McKenna, Partner and CEO at DMi Partners. We work with industry-leading brands who share similar values and have clear, ambitious goals in mind. Were proud Avalon selected us and we are confident that DMi can deliver the outcomes they are looking to achieve.

Avalon Flooring joins a growing list of Philadelphia area clients represented by DMi Partners, including other major regional brands like Mitchell & Ness and Rastellis.

About DMi PartnersDMi Partners is a full-service digital marketing agency headquartered in Philadelphia. With 16 years of providing growth solutions for our clients, DMi has excelled in managing cost-effective, high quality digital marketing campaigns. DMi operates as an end-to-end email marketing agency, with a focus on engagement, reporting and analytics for its partners. DMi also provides best in class services as an affiliate management agency to help brands navigate affiliate marketing by providing program consulting, strategy, and execution. DMi has a proven track record of success scaling programs for our advertisers and keeping them one step ahead of their competition. If youre interested in learning more please contact info@dmipartners.com.

About Avalon FlooringAvalon Flooring is a premier flooring and window treatment company that serves both retail and professional building customers in their 15 retail showrooms in Pennsylvania, New Jersey and Delaware. Started in 1958 by John Millar, the brand is now one of the top ten specialty retailers in the U.S. The stores offer a large selection of options including carpet, tile, hardwood, laminate, vinyl, bathroom vanities, natural stone, custom window treatments and area rugs. Customers also receive design and estimate services as well as installation options. Find more information at http://www.avalonflooring.com.

Media ContactMatthew Brannonmbrannon@broadpathpr.com215-495-7070

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DMi Partners Selected by Avalon Flooring as New Agency of Record - Multichannel Merchant

Between 1979 and 1981, at least 30 children and young people were murdered in a series of crimes that terrorized Atlanta. But these killings of black children, who often came from low-income families, never lodged themselves in the American psyche the way that near-contemporaneous murders by the likes of Ted Bundy and Richard Ramirez did. Now, as HBO airs the documentary series Atlantas Missing and Murdered: The Lost Children, the city is re-examining evidence in the case, and creating a permanent memorial to its children.

No one has ever been charged with the murders of the children, who were mostly black boys between the ages of 7 and 17. They included Curtis Walker, a 13-year-old who disappeared after heading to a local grocery store in hopes of earning money by helping the elderly carry their bags. The next time his mother, Catherine Leach, saw her son, his body was being pulled out of the South River on a televised news broadcast. Another victim, 10-year-old Earl Terrell, was kidnapped and later murdered while making his way home from a local swimming pool in the summer of 1980.

Wayne B. Williams, a 23-year-old from a respected middle-class black Atlanta family, was first arrested in 1981. Police officers staking out the James Jackson Parkway Bridge reported hearing a loud splash, and subsequently pulled over Williamss car after it left the bridge. Two days later, the body of 27-year-old Nathaniel Cater was pulled from the water. Investigators connected Williams, a freelance photographer and self-employed talent scout, to nine of the other slayings through fiber and hair evidence that matched a carpet in his home and his familys German Shepherd. But he was only tried for the murders of Cater and another adult victim, 21-year-old Jimmy Ray Payne.

BettmannGetty Images

Atlanta Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms was nine years old when the murders began, and is a member of a generation of Atlanta children who lived in fear of the snatcher.

You saw it on television, you heard your parents talking about it, you saw their pictures, Bottoms told Esquire.

But questions have lingered despite Williamss conviction. Many, including the family members of some of the victims, believe that Williams is innocent, that he killed only the adults, or that he murdered some, but not all, of the children. The original investigation took place in a city still deeply marred by racism, forcing families to push back against narratives that depicted the victims as street kids. Some believe the killings were the work of the Klan, which counted at least 10,000 members in 1981. When James Baldwin visited the city to report on the murders in 1981, he mocked the idea that Atlanta then represented a progressive New South, writing, Lord. The New South. Do not come down here looking for it. Williams, still serving his two life terms, maintains his innocence, despite being connected to the murder of one child by DNA evidence in 2010.

BettmannGetty Images

Last year, Bottoms established the Atlanta Childrens Memorial Taskforce, a committee charged with creating a memorial for the murdered children. Among its members are Curtis Walkers mother and Earl Terrells brother. In January, the mayors office debuted an art exhibition featuring work from local artists in honor of the victims. Portraits of the children painted by artist Dwayne Mitchelle will be exhibited at the Hartsfield-JAckson International Airport this spring.

The feeling of seeing the victims portraits was difficult to put into words, said Bottoms. It humanizes these children. I dont know if theyve ever had the benefit of being brought to life in this way. Its an important experience for all of us, because for so many of these families, they felt as if their children had been forgotten, and it allowed us to see them again.

Bottoms also announced last year that authorities would be retesting evidence connected to the crimes. We know technology has improved and changed in so many ways, she said. We dont know if there will be any additional information or any additional evidence that will lead us in one direction or another.

Paras GriffinGetty Images

Bottoms noted that shed like to manage expectations as to the results of the inquiry, in the event that the renewed investigation doesnt reveal major developments. But having fresh eyes on the evidence may yield new information, through investigative work that can be as simple as comparing evidence sheets with photos of the victims. One evidence sheet was very descriptive, but it didnt mention that the body had a gold chain on it, said Bottoms. Things like that may have been missed 40 plus years ago.

The task force is also still at work on a permanent memorial. The planned monument will include an eternal flame and a still-to-be-determined artwork honoring the victims lives. The memorial will be installed at City Hall, and visible from the mayors office window. It will be this very physical reminder for me, and every mayor who comes in after me, said Bottoms, that our children matter.

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Atlanta's Mayor Re-Examines the Child Murders That Terrorized the City 40 Years Ago - Esquire.com

Their friends will tell you that Paul Price and Fletcher Cowan know how to throw a good party. In summer its not unusual to find at least 100 guests spilling out, brimming margaritas in hand, from the kitchen of their north London home into the garden with its bubbling hot tub. Those previral bashes are, of course, on hold for now. But even without the revellers, heres an interior to lift the spirits. The tutti-frutti carpets, lagoon-blue cocktail bar and walls bustling with modern art add up to a home thats sociable and comfortable.

Price and Cowan are quick to credit the interior designer Peter Mikic with the exuberant effect. They all met, inevitably, at a dinner party. Before founding his business 10 years ago, Mikic used to run a fashion label. Price is the CEO of a luxury fashion brand and Cowan, who presents a fashion show on US channel E!, studied fashion at Central Saint Martins. So the three share a taste for art, colour and unpredictable juxtapositions.

I dont do matchy-matchy, I prefer things to be on the more interesting side, says Mikic, an Australian who has lived in the UK for more than 20 years. Paul and Fletcher have more parties than anyone I know. This house reflects that. Its them down to a T.

In a part of London better known for slender townhouses, the 1870s property is a rarity. Wide and double-fronted, it has a host of unusual features: ornate plasterwork motifs on the walls downstairs and dashing Moorish-style arches upstairs where there are three bedrooms and a walk-in wardrobe.

I was the first person to see it when it went on the market six years ago, says Price, an American with strong opinions on how things should look. I walked in, saw the wonderful, original staircase and made an offer on the spot. It just spoke to me.

Mikics brief was to transform the three-storey interior, which is believed to have operated as a print factory during the Second World War. This may have been when the first two floors were subdivided into a warren of small rooms with disproportionately wide hallways. One of the first things Mikic did was to reorganise the space by opening up the main reception rooms. The idea was to create relaxed and comfortable spaces for entertaining and living, he says. Original details were also restored. Layers of paint were scraped off the staircase to reveal the ebonised handrail, and the parquet floors were sanded back to their golden 19th-century colour.

The house now has distinct zones; the reception rooms are for living and entertaining, the lower ground floor for cooking, eating, and working, says Mikic, who added a gym as well as a library for Cowan in the lower-ground floor.

For this sociable couple, a new dining room was a priority. The kitchen has a convivial island for cooking and chatting: Paul loves to cook and I love to eat: thats us in a nutshell, says Cowan.

To bring light to the lower-ground floor, Mikic also installed floor-to-ceiling metal-framed windows that span the back wall. Before that there was only a small door and two small windows overlooking the garden, says Price. Now you feel a real sense of connection between the outside and inside. By contrast, the upstairs bedrooms, with their layers of muted colours and understated furnishings, were designed as a peaceful retreat.

Apart from a few artworks by friends, such as LA artist Jonas Wood or the photographer Alex Prager, most of the furniture and objects were bought for the house. Parisian flea markets or Alfies antique market in northwest London are their stamping grounds for mid-century design. A mix, not too 1960s or 1970s, but a bit of every era, insists Price.

In the sitting room, the multicoloured sideboard inlaid with Murano glass is a 1980s prototype by Italian fashion designer Emanuel Ungaro. It was the catalyst for the rug as colourful as a pointillist painting which Mikic designed, picking up the icing-sugar colours in the bespoke sofas. The pair of 60s armchairs, with their original fabrics intact, were found online at 1stdibs. The pink walls are one of Mikics custom-made colours: I usually hate pink, too sugary or Barbie, says Price. But this won me over.

From here, you step into the new bar where the aquarium-blue walls are made of polished plaster and the countertop was carved from lava stone.

Nearby, the glossy grand piano is a mechanical one that plays itself. The music is the only issue in our relationship, says Price, Im fond of a show tune, which Fletcher cant stand. But they agree on the classics: Barbra Streisand, Elton John, Queen, Madonna Hey, theres a theme here.

petermikic.com

Excerpt from:
When the party starts: a home to lift the spirits - The Guardian

With Easter 2020 happening today, youre probably wondering if your local grocery store is open or closed. While sheltering in place, it can be nice to pick up a few essentials at the local grocery store. Traditionally Winn-Dixie has been open in the past for Easter, but this year it will be closed.

Unlike previous years, Winn-Dixie will not be open for Easter Sunday this year. A banner at the top of Winn-Dixies website reads: Closed on Easter Sunday for a day of rest with family.

This is unusual for Winn-Dixie, since they are normally open on Easter. But considering how busy most grocery stores have been during the coronavirus outbreak, its not surprising that their employees needed a day off.

Heres what Anthony Hucker, President & CEO, said in a letter posted online about the day off.

We are eternally grateful for the dedication and bravery proven by our associates each day, as they strive to keep our shelves stocked and our stores ready to serve you. As a gesture of our gratitude, we have announced that our BI-LO, Fresco y Ms, Harveys Supermarket and Winn-Dixie grocery stores will be closed Easter Sunday, April 12 to provide our dedicated and heroic associates a day to rest with their families. Even with a day of rest planned for our associates, its important for you to know that we continue our efforts to provide you with the safest and cleanest stores in earnest.

Winn-Dixie is doing a lot to respond to the outbreak and keep things safe for employees and customers. The first hour that stores are open, Monday through Friday, will be set aside for seniors and high-risk customers. And pharmacies are also opening at 8 a.m. on weekdays to help.

Floor decals and Plexiglass partitions have been installed at registers, customer service desks, pharmacies, and liquor store counters. Touch-free payment options are available at all stores. Daily temperature checks are being rolled out for all associates and external partners, and in areas where COVID-19 cases are high, the number of shoppers allowed in the stores at one time will be limited.

In addition, associates, first responders, and health care professionals are asked to shop on Mondays and Tuesday from 8-9 p.m. so they can stock up on fresh food and other essentials.

The stores are also hiring an additional 5,000 associates to help meet the increased demand. Associates are allowed to wear face masks and gloves if they desire and they are distributing as much of this protective gear to our stores as we can. Winn-Dixie is also donating $250,000 to Feeding America and extending bonus payments to associates.

Winn-Dixie is also no longer offering refunds, exchanges, self-service food, rain checks, or Bissell Carpet Cleaner rentals in order to help with customer and associate safety.

So although Winn-Dixie isnt open today, the store will reopen tomorrow for all your shopping needs. In the meantime, if youre needing to go somewhere today, plenty of other stores will be open. Walmart, for example, is open today on Easter Sunday.

READ NEXT: Daily COVID-19 Updates

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Is Winn-Dixie Open or Closed on Easter Sunday 2020? - Heavy.com

When the novel coronavirus killed its first U.S. victim in King County,local officials knew thatthespreadingvirusposed unique risksto the more than 11,100 people inthe Seattle areawho do not have homes,and, in many cases,access to basic hygiene services.

To date, shelter outbreaks in cities like San Francisco and Boston outpace whats been seen in the Seattle area. But while thecity and the county have worked to create new resources to protect the regions homeless population, the response still falls short of what experts and homeless service providers say is needed.

City and county efforts have focused on three areas: opening new overnight shelters to decrease crowding in existing shelters, creating isolation, quarantine and recovery units,and installing additional hygiene services for people living outside.

Heresa lookat how Seattleand the surrounding regions efforts to protect homelesspeoplefrom COVID-19 compare to other municipalities,and how far the city and county have come inaccomplishingtheir plans.

Use the bottom right blue arrow to scroll through the graphic.

In a matter of days in March, many of the hygiene services relied on by people surviving outside disappeared.

On March 12, the city of Seattle announced the closure of many public facilities to limit gatherings.Within 24 hours, Seattles homeless population lost 27 public librariesthat have reliable public restrooms.Atthe same time,the city closed sixcommunity centers and pools, which normally offer shower programs.

Less than a weeklater,thefast food joints, coffee shops and restaurantsthathad restroomshomeless people could sometimes useclosedby state executive order.

Ittookthe city two weeks after closinglibraries,poolsand community centersto add six new hand-washing stations and 14 portable toilets in sixoutdoorlocationsnearexisting homelessencampments, according to the city.

Since the start of the crisis, the city has kept its park restroom facilities open in more than 100 parks,according to city data. Its also opened five communitycenterswith limited,daytimehourstooffershower services.

Butadvocatesand homeless service providers saythe efforts arefar from enough.A local hepatitis Aoutbreakhas been growing over the last several months,andin March King County sawcase numbersthat totaled altogether those of thelast fivemonths of 2019.Nearly halfwere amonghomeless people.

What we are seeing unfold in our city is a truly shocking experience,Seattle/King CountyCoalition on Homelessness executive director Alison Eisinger told the Seattle City Councilthisweek.

Deputy Mayor Casey Sixkiller told the council that the city had struggled withkeeping the sites clean and preventing hand-sanitizer theft. Each new hygiene site cost $35,000 a month tomaintain, Sixkiller said.

But we are working through it and obviously acknowledge that more work is to be done, Sixkillersaid.

One ofexpertsearliest concerns for people experiencing homelessness during the pandemic wasthatcrowded conditions insidecongregateshelters, where sometimes peoplesleepon mats just 6 inches apart, would contribute to the spread of the disease.

Many people in these shelters were already vulnerable.Among homelessKing County residentssurveyed in 2019,more than a quarter said they struggled with a chronic health condition.

The city and countyhavefaceda massive undertakingover the last six weeks:One study by leading homelessness researchersestimated that the city and county would need 9,089 new units to decrease crowding in shelters and bring new people inside.

So far, the county has confirmed 27 positive COVID-19 cases among 12 shelters tested, including two clusters of six and 12 cases respectively. On Friday, San Francisco announced that 70 people, including two staffers, at a shelter had tested positive.

But while the city and county have created hundreds of largerspaces for existing shelter clients to prevent these kinds of outbreaks, they have thus far been unable to open a fraction of the new shelter units experts say are needed to bring new people, who arent already living in shelters, inside.

On March 25, Seattle Mayor Jenny Durkan said in a press release that the county and city have worked to deploy every measure we can to help our neighbors experiencing homelessness, including expanding shelter capacity to nearly 1,900 spaces.

This is a breakdown ofwhatsome ofthose1,900spacesmean,though it does not include the countys new efforts this week to move 400 people in shelters into hotel units and pay for more. These are how many of the 1,900 spaces were available as of April9:

Source: city of Seattle and King County

*first announced on March 5

Though the city saidearlylastmonth that 95units would becomeavailable to shelteras many as 100new people within two to three weeks,the citynow projects that the units will open in mid- to late April. Five pallets, however, have been added to Chief Seattle Clubs Eagle Village site, according to county Department of Community and Human Services spokesperson Sherry Hamilton.

The citycontendsthat it has created new shelter spaces byadding more services to spaces that already had shelter clients. Setting up expanded spaces and new units while maintaining capacity,mitigatinghealth risks at all of our other shelter locations and adjusting to staffing reductions due to COVID-19 is unprecedented,mayoralspokespersonKamariaHightower saidby email.

Adding the new shelter units is complicated by staffing challengesas well as issues accessing construction and maintenance services during the statewide stayhome order, Hightower added.

For more than a month, we have been asking for additional state and federal resources for mass sheltering, Hightower said. Thecity simply doesnt have the resources to surge to the capacity we need without personnel and supports.

Even shelters where people are sleeping 6 feet apart are still at high risk of outbreaks spreading, according to Dr. Stephen Hwang, a researcher at the University of Toronto who has studied respiratory illnesses and their spread in shelters.

Theres constant mingling, in the bathroom, in the hallways, at meal time, Hwang said. You can make them safer, but you can never make them as safe as we would like them to be.

A better option, according to Hwang, is moving people into individual hotel and motel units.

On April 3, Californias Gov. Gavin Newsom announced that the state would useFEMAfunding tomove thousands of the states homeless population into hotels.

Washington state does not have a similar initiative, though the Department of Commerce announced in March that it would distribute at least $250,000in grant fundingto each county thatwasorganizinga homelessness response, which could include placing people in hotels.King County has applied for FEMA funding to reimburse the costs of hotels, trailers, modular units and more.

King County provided 60 vouchers for vulnerable shelter residents to stay in hotels in late February and early March, and as of this week, started moving400 vulnerable people into hotels. The Downtown Emergency Service Center also began moving 200 people into hotel units this week with county money. While the city of Seattle has used hotel units to house first responders, and council members have discussed the idea, a spokesperson for Durkan told The Seattle Times in early April that theoptionwas cost-prohibitive, among other concerns like the availability of staffing and wraparound services.

Over the last month, thecounty hasopenedthree quarantine and isolation facilities for people who are exhibiting COVID-19 symptoms, tested positive, or believe they have been exposed:amotelin Kent,a modular site inNorth Seattle and a hotel in Issaquah. In addition,Harborview MedicalCenter isoperatingan isolation and quarantine site at HarborviewHall.

Out of these four locations, 150 rooms were available to accept peopleas ofFriday.

The county said it is working to remove carpet at the hotels tomeet sanitation standardsbeforeanadditional51rooms canbe opened.A modular site in White Center that could house 31 people is still in progress.

Scott Greenstone contributed reporting to this story.

Read more here:
Here's what the Seattle area has and hasn't done to protect its homeless population from coronavirus - Seattle Times

SPRING FORECAST: Increasing sun and warmth, no matter whats happening in the news. And we also forecast that you'll be spending alotof time at home this season. That means now more than ever you want your home to be good-looking, inviting and safe.

Spring home improvement is always a spirit lifter. And since coronavirus-related social distancing and shelter in place began,Lowes has seen an increase in sales of home project supplies. But keep a few tips in mind if youre considering do-it-yourself right now:

- Just say "no" to overly challenging DIY, especially involving electricity,plumbing, yourroof or power tools. You do NOT want to land in a hospital emergency room at the moment. Theyre hotbeds of infection, and brave medical personnel are already stretched way beyond their limits.- Think twice about large scale projects that require pulling a permit and passing inspection. Local building authorities are working at less than full capacity and likely will be for a while.- If you hire a contractor, try to focus on projects outside your main living area: lawn and garden, outdoor A/C unit, garage and basement. (When you do need to bring a service pro into your home - say your air conditioner goes kablooey - follow social distancing precautions.)

That being said, lets look at seven home improvement projects, both DIY and pro, that will refresh your spirit this spring.

Renew art on front door, mantel and wallsRemove whatever currently adorns your mantel and front door (evergreen branches, pinecones, burlap, anything dark or heavy). Then refresh your space with bright, airy decor. The local dollar store isnt a resource for craft materials this year, so shop your closet or junk drawer for silk flowers, bits of ribbon and so on (or your garden, if youre lucky enough to have blooms by now).

For wall art, the sky (or should we say, "the ceiling")s the limit. Engage kids by collecting a collage of family photos. Encourage older offspring to embellish images with digital special effects and their younger siblings to cut pix (printed on inexpensive printer paper) into fun shapes. Then show off the results in a floor-to-ceiling display.

Kid friendly:Can be adapted for any age.

PaintNow the weathers warmer, get that long-delayed house painting done. A relatively fast and easy project is painting your entry door. If youre more ambitious (and have someone to keep the children busy elsewhere while you work), redo the living room or a bedroom or two in an adventurous shade like rich gold or deep aqua.

Social distancing friendly:Hire a painter to update your homes exterior.

Build a paver patioWhether or not its still necessary to shelter in place come summer, a new patio is something the whole family will enjoy under any circumstances. And unlike a deck, a patio does not usually require pulling a permit because its built less than 30 inches above grade. A patio constructed of concrete pavers wont need a pourpermiteither.

Social distancing friendly: Find a landscaper to build your paver patio.

Create an interactive gardenEven when youre limiting your human visitors because of social distancing, you can still welcome butterflies to yourgarden. Choose flower species these winged creatures love, such as the aptly named butterfly bush, from an online plant supplier. Depending on how far springs come along where you live, this may be either a planting project or a planning project for now.

Kid friendly: Good for about age 7 and up.Refresh your drivewayHave your driveway repaved or resealed for a harder-wearing and/or better-looking surface. Options range from concrete resurfacing for problems such as driveway spalling, all the way to elegantdecorativetechniques like stamped concrete.

Social distancing friendly:Look for a concrete pro with expertise in these specialized techniques. NOTE: To repave the part of your driveway on the municipal right-of-way, you may need apermit.

Upgrade your garage doorsWhen you have an attached garage out front, your garage doors are super visible, so its important to keep them looking their best. If your garage doors just need a slight touch of refreshment, you can apply some stain or add faux windows.

Social distancing friendly:For garage doors seriously past their prime (20 years old or more),hire a professionalto replace them, for safety as well as aesthetic reasons.

Spring clean upSpring cleaning does great things for your spirit once its finished, rather than while its a work in progress ... but since youre stuck at home anyway, why not go for it? Just take it easy on thedeclutteringthis year, because selling or donating castoffs is not much of an option at the moment. Focus on the area of your choice - yard, gutters, indoors are all good.

Kid friendly:With some smooth talking, you may be able to convince younger kids thatcleaningis fun. Once they get taller and/or smarter than you, all bets are off. However, they may be so bored by now that they'll actually be willing to help.

Laura Firszt writes fornetworx.com.

The rest is here:
Spring refresh: Home improvement that will refresh your spirit - Columbia Daily Herald